Australia’s Mitchell Starc surpassed Dennis Lillee’s Test wicket tally with his 356th dismissal, while Josh Hazlewood’s five-wicket haul set the stage for Australia’s dominance on day one of the second Test against New Zealand at Hagley Oval.
New Zealand’s innings crumbled to their lowest total in Christchurch, as Matt Henry’s late strikes left Australia at 124 for 4 by stumps, trailing by 38 runs.
Despite New Zealand’s struggle, Marnus Labuschagne’s resilience with an unbeaten 45 and Nathan Lyon’s survival as the nightwatcher ensured Australia’s advantage.
Debutant Ben Sears dismissed Steven Smith lbw early on, while Hazlewood and Starc combined for eight wickets to restrict New Zealand to 162.
Hazlewood and Cummins marred Tom Latham and Will Young’s promising start by removing Latham and Rachin Ravindra before lunch.
Daryl Mitchell and Kane Williamson failed to counter Australia’s attack, with Starc dismissing Glenn Phillips and Scott Kuggeleijn.
Australia’s decision to bowl first proved fruitful on a seam-friendly pitch, as New Zealand’s top order collapsed in the face of Hazlewood’s precision and Starc’s breakthroughs.
New Zealand’s decision to omit spinner Mitchell Santner reflected their reliance on a seam-heavy attack, as Sears replaced the injured Will O’Rourke.
Australia’s unchanged lineup maintained consistency, while retiring umpire Marais Erasmus received a tribute from the players before play.
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